Sorting machine



'r. N EWELL SORTING MACHINE Feb. ,3. 1925.

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Feb. 3. 1 925. 1.525410 1 NEWELL ISORTINCY momma 7 Filed Dec. 15 1920 6Sheets-Sheet 2 [prevalen- Feb. 3. 1925. 1,525,410

T. 'NEWE'LL SORTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 15, 1920 s sneaks-sheet 5 [wen/anFeb. 3. 1925. 1.525.410

T. NEWELL SORTING MACHINE Fild Dec. 15 1920 6 Sheets-Sheet '6 l atentedFebo 3, 1925.

FATE

TIIiIOTI-IY -NEWEL'L; OF P-ARKDALE; OREGON.

sonrrno Macrame.

T01 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TiMo'rHr 'NEWELL, a citizen otthe United-Statesof'America, and resident of Parkdale, in the county of Hoodltiver, inthe State of. Oregon, have invented certain new and usefullmprovementsin Sorting Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification,-referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to apparatus for sorting and dividing "a mass of"articles 01" one kind but of different sizes into separate groups, eachgroup to be composed of individual articles all approximately uniform asto size.

A distinct-iveobject o'f'my'invention is to promote the speed andaccuracy of the sorting operation. 'Another is toprovide, in machine ofthe class'described' means tor segregating articles one fronranotherindividual according to size as determined by the weight of eacharticle. A "further object of my invention is to provide a machine ofthe kind describedifor "separating and delivering, in onecontinuous"operation,

' individual articles into receptaclesprovided severally for thereception of articles of a predetermined range of size.

' My invention, in "present preferred form of embodiment, as illustratedin-the accompanying drawingscomprehends means for accomplishing, alongwith other objects, the

objects above indicated; but in respect to mechanism for "selecting "anddistributing articles by weight from a continuing-feed of articles inindividual succession, the form illustrated is only preferential,inasmuch as "the principle of my invention may be enibodied in whatappears to bewidely 'diiierent mechanisms, but which pr0ve,'upon closeanalysis, to be, as will be in some instances indicated, all united by acommon tie.

@bjects of .my invention in addition to those specified above, arevarious as will appear from the following description.

What constitutes-my invention will be hereinafter specified in detailand succinctly sotiorthin the 'appendedclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l: is a side elevationof theselective or sorti mechanism of my machine to which I the completedmachine is also joined in endwise assemblage feeding mechanism as Shown,for ezmmnle, In Figure 11.

ll igure II isa sectional'view o-fnry-i'eeding mechanism, taken ason-thi-il-ine II'II of Figure" 1V. V

Figure 1H is'a-top plan-view,with parts broken" aw'ay,- of the subjecti-natter of Figure I.

1 'Figure VII is a transverse-section on the line VIIVH of-Figure VI,looking from right to left.

Figure VIII is a'section on the-line VlH'-Vllll of Figure TH,- loelc-ingfrom left to rig-ht; and drawn to'enlarged scale.

Fig-ure IX is a 'view' on reduced scale corresponding to Figure v ll'l'in part, but showing a modification of my invention.

Figure X shows in asin'iilar view afart her modification.

Refer-ring t'othe-numerals on the drawings, 1 indicates anextended-oblong frame whose length, dimensions and genera lconstruction'neednot conform to any particular rule, but may be inade inthe builders discretion to correspond to the-size of the machine and the'work required of it. Owing to'the limitations imposed by the 'size ofthe drawings, the frame 1 is not-shown complete as to length inanysingle figure of the drawings, but the reader will have no dniiculty1n apprehending its longitu =dina1' extent if upon comparison of Figures1- and H, for example, he will bear in mind that the complete machineembodies in one the parts represented by those two figures joinedtogether, end to end, theirpoints of separationbeing shown totheextreine left The driving power oi theentire machine is, from asourceof power not illustrated. preferably communicated to a shaft 2 revolublvmounted in" suitable bearings 8 on the frame 1, and rotative as by meansof a pulley 4r. secured-to said shaft -(compare Figs. I and VI). Asshowng-the shaft 2 is horizontally disposed in operativerelationship tovertical sliaftdcarred i sui able bearings 7 and 8 provided for it inthe frame 1, the shaft 2 being preferably provided with a worm 10 thatis fixed to it and which meshes with the worm-gear 11 fixed to the shaft6.

The shaft 6 is preferably extended through its upper bearing 8 and hasfixed to it, above a table 12, a sprocket gear-head 14 about which isbent an endless sprocket chain 15 which is stretched into like operativeengagement with a sprocket gear-head 16 rotatably mounted in anypreferred manner upon the table 12, as, for example, in a suitablebearing 17 provided for the accommodation of a vertical stud-shaft 18and located at the end of the table 12 opposite to that which carriesthe gear-head 14. The shaft 18 may be made rotative in its bearing 17 orit may be fixed so as to accommodate upon it the gear-head 16 inretative relationship to it. The determinate length of the endless chain15 determines the length of the table 12, and, in so far, determines thelength of the frame 1.

As is clearly shown in Figure V, the shaft 6 carries, at a convenientdistance above its bearing 7 and between the bearings 7 and 8, a crowngear 20 that is fixed to it. The crown gear 20 meshes with the pinion 21that is fixed to a shaft 22 carried in suitable bearings 23 on the frame1 and in parallel relationship to the shaft 2. The shaft 22 also carriesa pulley 24 fixed to it that communicates motion as by a belt 25 to apulley 26 fixed to the end of a horizontal shaft 27 that is carried insuitable bearings 28 and 29 on any suitable members of the frame 1 thatmay be conveniently disposed for their accommodation.

Upon its end that is opposite to the pulley 26 and nearer to the bearing29, the shaft 27 carries in fixed relationship to it two sprocket-gears30 and 31. About the gear 30, and in mesh with it, is bent an en llesssprocket-chain 32, and about the gear 31 is bent an endlesssprocket-chain 34 of length corresponding to that of the chain 32. Thechains 32 and 34 are carried in parallel relationship as shown forexample, in Figure TV by aid of sprocket-gears provided for theirrespective accommodation on the frame 1 near the end thereof that isfurthest removed from the gear-head 16. A shaft 35, mounted in suitablebearings provided for it near the last aforesaid extremity of the frame1, carries a pair of sprocket-gears 36 and 37 (compare Figures II andVII). The gears 36 and 37 are spaced apart to correspond to the spacingbetween the sprocket-gears 30 and 31 and constitute in, effect guidepulleys to the chains 32 and 34 with which they mesh so as to hold saidchains in parallel relationship. The distance between the shafts 27 and35 is insufiicient to draw the chains 32 and 34 taut about theirrespective sprocketgears, but is such as to accommodate a slackness ofthe chains between those shafts which is taken up by an intermediateshaft 40. The shaft 40, being also mounted in suitable bearings providedfor it upon the frame 1, carries a pair of spaced sprocket-gears 41 and42 whose office is to guide the chains 32 and 34 with tautness in theirtravel about the shafts 27 and 35, as well as the shaft 40. The locationof the shaft 40 is preferably nearer to the shaft 35 than to the shaft27 so as to impart to the chains 32 and 34 a triangular disposition asis shown in Figure 11. The purpose of the location of the shaft 40 justreferred to is to divide the upper reaches of the chains 32 and 34,respectively, into a level display stretch measured by supporting strips43 and an inclined plane represented by supporting strips 44. Thefunction of the said strips 43 is to hold the chains 32 and 34 insubstantially horizontal or level assemblage between the shafts 27 and40. The function of the strips is likewise to hold the chains 32 and 34in a uniform plane of inclination between the shafts 35 and 40. Theparticular purpose of the presentation of the chains 32 and 34 in twomodes, one horizontal and the other inclined as specified, will behereinafter more fully set forth.

At regular intervals, oppositely disposed links of the respective chains32 and 34 carry angle-plates 45 (see Figure VII) for the accommodationbetween them of a lifting member that is preferably a roller 48. Theregular succession of rollers with which the chains 32 and 34 areprovided, is well illustrated in Figures II and IV as'well as in FigureVII.

Upon the end of the frame 1, in operative proximity to the shaft 35, Iprovide a hopper 49, having an inclined bottom 50 secured in hingedrelationship to the hopper, as by the horizontal hinge 51 (Figure 11).The vertical front'wall 52 of the hopper 49 defines, above the free endof the bottom 50, a discharge opening 53, which is provided with avertical sliding gate 54 by whose adjustment discharge of articles fromthe hopper 49 in the direction of the shaft 35 may be regulated. Securedat one end to the free end of the bottom 50, as indicated at 56, Iprefer to employ an oblong flexible strip 57 which, from its line ofjuncture 56, extends over the rollers 48 substantially the full lengthof the strips 44 and 43, respectively, its end opposite the line 56being in like manner secured, as indicated at 58, to a cross-strip 59,extend ing between chute-defining side walls 60 and 61 that are disposedadjacent to the opposite ends of the respective rollers 48. Adistinctive quality of the strip 57 is a high degree of flexibility,wherefore, a

woven fabric maybe usedas thezmaterial forthe strip, but I prefer tomake it of netting having a large, open. mesh like a fish net, and-madeof medium sizedtwine of thekind usedin making fish nets. The stripshould be of length suflicientto permit of a preferably decided .sag ofinaterial between-each roller 48 and the one :adja.

cent to it on eithercside; It is the presence of the said sag betweenirollers'that. makes it operative, butnaked:rollersmay1 be used withoutthe strip-byusing a little closer relative disposition of the rollers.

tact thereupon.

The chains 32 and 8% unlted by lifting members or rollers l8constitutean endless conveyor which, in passing-underneath, the flexiblestrip 57 serves to segregate articles suppliedto it from the hopper 49and to roll them from the point of their. initial. delivery to thestrip157 whicheis adjacent to the shaft 35 towardsthe place of theirdischarge from the conveyor, Which is ad jacent to the shaft 27 and isdetermined by the presence of ,the' crossestri-p. 59.; It is found, inpractice, that the action. of the lifting members-48 is efficient tocarry ,the 5.

articles up an incline-as represent-ed in Figure 11 by the inclinationof the strips 4 L. The crossestrip=59 is obliquel-yidisposed to the sideWalls =60 and 61between which it extends. and by'Whichit is supported,and,

serves to guide the. discharge of articles to an endless conveyor i.belt. :63 that is stretched about pulleys-64sand;;65;: The

pulley 65 is secured/to the shaft 140 (see- Fig. VII) and derivesrotativei motion from the engagement between the sprocket-chains;

32- and 3% and the sprockehgearslQ 211161141 thereon.

I prefer to providein paralleLrelationship to the conveyor belt 63 alikeconveyor belt 67 whichpasses around the pulley, 65- and is driven by it,being held taut against it by the pulley 68. -.The conveyor belt: 67

extends practically the full length of the frame 1, its purpose being.to receive,, a-t any point along the vlengtheof a machine, the depositof an article, andto conveyall articles so receivedto a placehof commondischarge. The conveyor beltst63and 67 are providedpwith outsideguardrails 61.

aforesaid and 70,.and an intermediate guard rail '71 which serve,collectively, ;-to define transversely. the operative limits, of. thetwo conveyor belts 011 either side, and effectively to separate one fromthe Othe -:5.

Adjacent and in parallel relationshipto the conveyor belts 63 .and 57, 1prefer; to provideinclinedcull-chutes;73 audit that are adapted toreceive such defective. zarti cles as may be :culledby anattendantnfromai those presented in mass. for his inspection, uponjthestrip 57.

The mechanism above described relates.

in the main to the feeding mechanism of myto the sorting mechanism.whereof thesprocketgear-headsulet ;and 16, with their connectingsprocketchain,115,. have ,already.

1 been specified.

The endless sprocket-chain l5, (lllVGl1', Els

=machine, so calledbecause it is that which a is idesigneduandadaptedvto feed-. .-art icles it is, above the table 12;in an orbit fixed.

.by-the' drivinggearshead 14L and-by its companion gear-head 16,.is madeup of a series, of links of suitable and preferredform-andassemblage,-each link at suitable intervals:

being provided with fulcrum-support 75.:

The'function of thegmember-75 is to afford a ,delicate/ pivotal. orbalance support to a To that end balance membeiuor beam 76. it ispreferably bifurcated, as shown. in Figure. I, to accommodatebetween itsbifurcations a downwardlyfprojecting lug-7;?

one enduwith -a scale whereof there is a continuous succession of:lllQllVlClUZllS dis-i,

-posed.--in parallel: relationship a1id.close uxtaposition uponthefflsprocket-chaini 15.

Each scale is preferablymade-in the form, of a slightly transverselyccurvedtrough,- having a smooth surface and unobstructed from end toend.

terminal obstruction, its; longitudinal axis.

'UPQlLljllB beam. Each beanris provided, at

To give it freedom-from...

is preferably disalignedsfrom.;that'of the;

beanr76, as shown-pin Figure NHLmjThe is preferably truncately conicalin shape lt but ,is preferablygpermanently -secured e11d,.of.the beam 76opposite. the scale- 80 is provided with counterpoise, 81 which I vmaybe adjustable? eudwise of the beam-76,.

theretoas ,illustrated ,Theweight of .the counterpoise 81 is calculatednot only to hold the scale 80 in horizontaldisposition,

but also ,to balance the critical. weight ot an article whenplaced n thesCale;8O Sm predetermined juxtaposition to the jful crum support 7 5. Itis obvious that anal-ticle of given weight will .tend, in proporr,tionto the distance of its-location in the scale 80 fromthe fulcrumsupport-F5, to

tilt the beam and thereby'cause grarity to contents thereof. Therefore,if an article exceeding in ,weight; a predetermined critical weight'beplaced in the SCllGwSO, and in predetermined proxim ty to theefulcruinidischarge from the-freeend-of the scale the support .75, itWlll'CZIUSG the 19921111 76 to tilt I With the elfectiof discharging thearticle.

from the scale. If the article, placed the,

scale; 80 be of less than ,the critical,Weight, movement thereof-in the,scalein the direction ,away from the fulcrum support-.75, will, throughincrease; of leverage fso de rived, as soon as such leverage issufficient, overcome the weight of the counterpoise 81, and effectdischarge of the article from the scale. The lighter the weight of thearticle placed in the scale the greater must be the distance of itsremoval from the fulcrum support 7 5 before it will tilt the beam 76against the weight of the counterpoise 81 and effect discharge from thescale.

It is upon the principle just elucidated that the sorting mechanism ofmy invention operates. That principle consists in the shifting, ineffect, of the fulcrum support of the beam 76. By my invention, in thepreferred form of embodiment illustrated, the relative position of eachfulcrum support with respect to its beam is made constant, and theweighing effect of the beam is attained by variation of the distance ofthe article to be weighed from the fulcrum support; but, obviously, theweigh-- ing effect is the result to be reached, and that may beaccomplished by relative variation of the fulcrum, the weight and thearticle to be Weighed. For erample of such variation, I illustrate inFigure IX one form of modification, in which a beam 0., corresponding infunction and assemblage to the beam 7 6, is provided with a scale (i.The beam at is slidable longitudinally through a sleeve fulcrum-piece 0provided for it, and corresponding in function to the fulcrum-support75. The beam .4 is provided with a head (Z and between the head d andthe sleeve 0 with a spring c. The head d is preferably cupped to carryan antifriction ball f, which, riding against an oblique guide plate g,serves, through the obliquity of disposition of the plate 9 to theseries of beams a, gradually and successively to shove the scale 2) ofeach beam at away from its sleeve fulcrum piece until the scale is madeto tilt by the weight of its load, and thereby to discharge its load.

The modification shown in Figure X includes a beam 64 having anoutthrusting spring Z) for actuating a telescope extension 0.

I prefer to provide for the attainment of the purposes of my inventionthrough the coaction of two movements of the article to be weighed. Oneis movement thereof longitudinally within the scale 80, and the other isa movement gained by the shifting of the position of the scale itself.By this contrivance, each one of the series of scales is made todischarge its contents according to the weight thereof when the scaleshall have reached a substantially determinate point in its orbit oftravel communicated by the sprocket-chain 15.

For the grading of apples, for instance, uniformity of size forcommercial purposes is that in which there is substantial uniformity ofweight, o in oth ords, equivalency of weight between ascertained limits.Absolute uniformity of weight would require each scale to discharge itscontents upon reaching, in its orbit of travel, a certain point,accurately predetermined. This, by the aid of my invention, is indeedpracticable, but, to make it available in practice, would require anunnecessary multiplication of receptacles for the fruit discharged bythe several scales and would render the operation of the machine tooslow for ordinary commercial service. For commercial purposes, it is notnecessary to grade the fruit to a degree even approximating absoluteaccuracy. A slight variation in the weight thereof is, for obviousreasons, not only permissible but desirable. A small variation inweight, say perhaps of an ounce or certainly a fraction thereof, notdiscernible to the eye in the grading of such fruit as apples.Consequently, it is sufficient in ordinary practice to provide for thereception of the fruit such a number of bins 3 as may be necessary toeffect the grading of. the fruit desired. In the drawings (see F 111,for example) duplicate sets of bins are shown, each set containing sixbins. Provision is therein made for the sorting of apples into sixgrades, each bin being appropriated to apples in which the actual weightmay vary slightly within predeterminate limits, but not enough toviolate the rule of grading prescribed. In Figure Ill of the drawings,each bin 83 is shown as designed to receive the discharge of fourconsecutive scales 80 but obviously it might be made to receive thedischarge of a greater or a less number of scales, according to theaccuracy of grading desired.

The travel of the scales 80 in consecutive order and in aprescribedorbitbeing atained as specified for example by the movement of thesprocket-chain 15, the gradual movement of articles longitudinallythrough the scales of the series, respectively, is preferably secured bythe aid of a movable member disposed obliquely to the series of scalesand having its movement synchronized to that of the sprocket-chain 15.To that end I prefer to extend the shafts 6 and 18 upwardly a sufficientdistance for the accommodation of horizontal pulleys 85 and 86, thepulley 85 being driven by the shaft 6 to which it is fixed. An endlessbelt 87 is, by any suitable means, stretched taut about the peripheriesof the pulleys 85 and 86 in operative contact therewith. To the end lastspecified two stretcher-frames 90 may be employed. They are supportedupon the table 12, as, for example, by arms 91, each of said arms beingfixed to the table and being adjustably secured, as by a slot and boltcon ncction 92, at its opposite ends, to both of the stretcher-frames90.

The stretcher-frames 90 are designed to afford true alignment to thebelt 87 and to present it in smooth vertical disposition directly abovethe scales 80. For holding it in vertical position, they are preferablyprovided along their entire length with overhung flanges 93 (Fig. VIII).

Each end of each stretcher-frame is preferably provided with abifurcated carrier 94, one for the accommodation between the free endsthereof of a guide-roller 95, and the other for like accommodation of acorresponding guide-roller 96, each carrier being deflected so as tobring the outside of its roller in line with the belt 87 and to affordcollectively a stretch of the belt between the two rollers 95 and 96. Bythis means, adjustment of a stretcher-frame accomplishes operativeadjustment of relative disposition of the belt 87 to the scales which itserves. Tables 97 and 98, being in effect transverse extensions of thetable 12, are preferably provided at opposite ends of the table 12(Figure III). The table 97 carries a longitudinally slotted plate 99which, by the aid of a bolt 100, is adjustable upon the said table. Theplate 99, at one end, carries between two jaws a roller 101 that engagesthe belt 87. One of its functions is to regulate the tension of the belt87, and is accomplished through the adjustability of the plate 99.Another function is to augment the length of contact between the belt 87and the pulley 85 so far as to insure a frictional drive of said beltthrough its engage ment with the pulley 85.

The pulleys 85 and 86 divide in effect the series of scales 80 into twosorting sets which, though all the scales are carried upon one sprocketchain 15, operate as independent sorting elements, each set cooperatingfor that purpose with a stretcher-frame appropriated to it. The conveyorbelt 68 makes delivery of articles to one of the said sets at that pointat which, by the obliquity of its stretchenframe 90, the greatest extentof scale is exhibited to wit, a point adjacent to the roller 95. Iprefer to provide at said point of delivery of the conveyor belt 63 ashort, flexible chute 1052 whose free end,

lying upon the surface of the sub-posed traveling scales, is rippled bythem in their travel, in the same manner as the flexible strip 57 iscaused to functionate by the movement underneath it of the rollers 48,as has already been described, with the effect of properly segregatingarticles discharged from the conveyor belt 63 and depositing them one byone successively into the individual traveling scales 80.

The conveyor belt 67 in passing around the roller 68 discharges into adelivery chute 103 which is bent to conform to the shape and size of thepulley 86, as shown in Figure III and is deflected downwardly, as shownat 104 in Figure I, so as to make discharge to the second sorting set ofscales previously specified.

Near the ends of said sorting sets of the scales, that are furthestremoved, respectively, from the discharge end of the conveyor belt 63and of the chute 103, respectively, I prefer to provide mechanical meansfor causing a tiliting action of the scales at those points as often asthey pass said points in their travel. To that end I provide, upon thestable supports on the frame 1, at each of said points an archeddeflector-strip 105 (compare Figs. I, III and VIII) in operativeproximity to the beams 76 as they travel over it in succession. Thepresence of the deflector-strip 105 causes the beams to tilt each uponits fulcrum support 75 and thereby insures clearance of any light-weightarticles that may remain in the scales. The effect is to convert thelast of each series of bins 83 into a cull-bin.

The operation of my machine may be briefly described as follows.

Power being applied to the pulley 4, the several movable elements of themachine are thereby set in motion, each in the direction.

indicated by arrows in various figures of the drawings.

The hopper 49 is kept supplied with articles, for example apples,intended to be sorted by the machine, and a constant discharge iseifected therefrom through the jigging movement of the bottom 50imparted to it by the snub action against its free end of successiverollers 48. The articles so delivered to the strip 57 are, by the actionof the rollers 48 passing underneath and in contact with said strip,ranged between the rollers and lifted up the incline indicated by thestrips 44 over the shaft 40. Thence they are conveyed in a horizonaldirection over a purposely extended display stretched toward thecross-strip 59, the extent of the display stretch referred to beingprovided in order to afford to an attendant opportunity of inspection ofthe articles therein exhibited, whereby he is enabled to select secondsfrom prime articles, and to detect and remove auy culls that may presentthemselves.

The rolling movement of the articles, caused, as has been specified, bythe action of the rollers 48 upon them, communicated through the strip57, tends to exhibit to the eye of the attendant all sides of an articleso as to expose imperfections, if any.

The selecting and culling office is performed by an attendant stationedon one side of that portion of the machine shown in Figure IV, and isintended to be performed mainly during the travel of articles in passingover the display stretch that extends between the shaft 40 and thecrosspiece 59. My machine makes it possible to adopt the rule ofinspection that the attendant shall select from the articles so by ittothe exhibited only seconds and defective artia x leave thesortin oftoe )riine cles, nd articles entirely to the work of the 73 anrl Y J, apluralit -s of chutes being provided tor efi'ecting ythe grading of theculls if desired.

It is designed, in accordance with the rule of selection just indicated,that only prime artieles-shalltbe delivered to conveyor belt63,1by'which selection is automatically accomplished by the machinethrough the sweeping-function of the obliquely disposed cross-strip 59.Articles delivered to the conveyor belt-63 are designed to pass inregular succession one by one to the sorting set of scales presented, asshown in Figure III, at the discharge end of the conveyor belt 63, thatis thebend thereof about the roller 64:. The flexible delivery chute 102is designer and adapted,-

lias been-specified, to insure delivery of the articles to be sorted oneby one in regularsucce'ssion to the traveling series of scales; If, forexample, an article above an established critical weight be delivered'to the scale next adjacent to the flexible? delivery "chute 102 inFigure 111, it will immediately tilt the sca'leianddrop the article intothe bin 83 below it. it, on the other hand, the artielebe of a weight:interior to the critical, it will be carriedi'by-thc charged to thesecond sorting set of scales distributed in like manner to the several"bins 83 that are provided for thereception movement ofthe scale whichholds it, in

conta'ctwith thetace oi the vertical belt '4', by Whese obhqnity it willbe gradually pushed towards the tree-end 0t said scale 'By this means itwill be carried in the travel of its eontaining'scale to a point atwhich' its weight will be siniicient to overbalance the counterpoise 81of its scale,when the beam '76'will' tilt, with the effect ordischarging thearticle from the scale into that bin which happens to bebelow. The synchronized movement of the bel the sprocket chain l5effects a stability of disposition of the article through its travelendwise-of' the scale, and eliminates possibility olithe tilting of thescale in consequence of any adventitious motion imparted to the article.The oblique disposition of the stretcher-"frame 90 is designed to effectdischarge oit'all articles from the largestto "he 'small'est before thetravel on the scales in the dir'ectionfof the roller 96 is ,completed,but absolutely to insure suchdischarge, thedeflector plate 105,operating as has been previouslyspecified, is preferably provided.

Seconds deposited upon the conveyor belt 67, as has been specified, areconveyed chute 103 and are thence dis 8'? and ot of seconds. 7

What I claim is: i

1. In a sorting machine, the combination with a series of pivotallytulcrumed parals lel balance members adapted, respectively, to receiveindividual articles to be sor ed by weight, and a counterpoise for eachvmember, of means operative successively upon the article carried by therespective members for effecting the overbalancing of eachcounter-poise, one by one with tilting discharge etiect upon its balancemember; 77

2. In a sorting machine, the combination with a series of pivotallytulcrumed balancemembers adapted, respectively, to receive individualarticles to be sorted. by weight, of means for imparting motion,severally, to said articles with reference to the longitudinal axisotsaid members, and thereby causing'diseharge of said members through thetilting of the sameupon their respective tulcrums. 7

3.- In a sorting machine, the combination with a series or -pivotallytulcrumed l'ialance members, of means. for imparting motion to saidmembers in series, and means operative by the movement of said scriesptolmpa-rt motion to articles carried individually by said members andtherebyto cause the same to tilt and discharge their respective loads,For the. purpose specified.

(L. A, sorting.machinecomprising a series of pivotally mounted scales, acounterpoise for each scale'tor holdingsit normally horizontal, meansfor-imparting motion to the series, and; meanstor gradually moving thecontents of each scale so as to overbalance its counterpoise and to tiltthe scale-tor the discharge of its contents. 7

5. A sorting;machinecomprisinga series ofpivotally mounted scales, aC()UI1tGT} )OlSQ for each scale for holding it normally horizontal meansfor imparting motion to the series, means torgradually moving the-ontents of each scale'so as eventually to overbalance its counterpoiseand. tilt the scale, and means for feeding articles to the scales.

6. A sortinganachine comprising a series of pivotally mounted scales,acounter-poise for eachscale torholdingsit normally horitents oi eachscale so as'event-ually to :overbalance its counterpoiseand tilt thescale. means tor feeding articles to the scales, and

a series of separate bins for receiving the means for"imparting. motionto the series, means tor gradually moving the con-- zontal, means forimparting motion to the series, means for gradually moving the contentsof each scale so as eventually to overbalance its (ounterpoise and tiltthe scale, said last named means consisting of a member obliquelydisposed in the path of movement of the series.

8. A sorting machine comprising a series of pivotally mounted scales, acounterpoise for each scale for holding it normally horizontal, meansfor imparting motion to the series, means f r gradually moving thecontents of each scale so as eventually to overbalance its counterpoiseand tilt the scale, said last namedmeans consisting of a mem berobliquely disposed in the path of movement of the series and travelingin the direction of their serial movement.

9. A sorting machine comprising a series of pivotally mounted scales, acounterpoise for each scale for holding it normally horizontal. meansfor imparting motion to the series, means for gradually moving thecontents of each scale so as eventually to overbalance its counterpoi seand tilt the scale, each counterpoise being adjustable longitudinallywith respect to its scale.

10. A sorting machine comprising a series of scales, an endless belt torsupporting the scales and to which the scales are pivoted, means forsupplying articles to the scales, one by one, at one end of said belt, aseries of bins disposed alongside said belt and adapted to receivedischarge from the scales, a counterpoise on each scale for normallyholding it approximately in horizontal position, and meansfor graduallymoving the contents of each scale outwardly away from its counterpoiseas the scales move away from. the feeding end by motion imparted to themthrough movement of the endless belt.

11. A sorting machine comprising a series of scales "for the receptionof individual articles to be sorted, means for supporting the scales andmoving the series, a counterpoise for each scale for normally holding itin horizontal position, and means for gradually moving the contents ofeach scale to cause the weight of its contents to tilt the same upon itspivotal support.

12. A sorting machine comprising a series of counterpoised pivotallymounted scales, an endless belt for supporting the scales and moving theseries, another endless belt obliquely disposed in operativerelationship to and above said series of scales, and means for impartingto both belts synchronous motion in the same direction.

13. A weight controlled sorting machine, comprising a pivotally mounted,normally horizontal support for each individual article to be sorted,means for moving the support, and means for gradually moving an articleon the support away from the pivotal connection of the support, andthereby to cause the support to tilt when the movement of the articlethereon overcomes the equilibrium oi' the support.

is. In a weight controlled. sorting ma-' chine, a pivotally mounted,normally horizontal support for each individual article to be sorted,and means for gradually moving the article on the support away from thepivotal connection thereof to cause the support to tilt and dischargethe article.

15. A weight controlled sorting machine, comprisin pivotally mountedsupport for each individual article to be sorted, means for moving thesupport, means for normally holding the support in horizontal position,and means for moving the article on the support away from the pivotalconnection thereof to cause the support to tilt.

16. The combination with a sorting ma chine comprising an endless seriesof individual article supports movable in series, and means fordischarging the supports one by one, of a conveyor belt comprising aninclined stretch constituting feed mechanism to said machine, and meansfor operating it.

17. The combination with a. sorting machine comprising anendless seriesof individual article supports movable in series, and means fordischarging the supports one by one, of a conveyor belt constitutingfeed mechanism to said machine, and a flexible chute intermediate thedischarge end of said belt and the machine.

18. The combination with a sorting machine comprising an endless seriesof individual article supports movable in series, and means fordischarging the supports one by one, of a conveyor belt constitutingfeed mechanism to said machine, a second conveyor belt in availableproximityto the one first named for the transfer of articles removed byan operator from one belt to the other.

19. In a sorting machine, the combination with a frame, drivingmechanism, and an endless belt carrying a series of normally horizontalcounterweighted supports, one for each individual article to be sorted,of means for gradually moving said articles on the supports,respectively, away from the pivotal connection 01 the support, for thepurpose specified, said means consisting of an endless belt disposed.above and in operative proximity to said series of supports.

20. In a sorting machine, the combination with a frame, drivingmechanism, and an endless belt carrying a series of normally horizontalcounterweighted supports, one for each individual article to be sorted,of means for gradually moving said articles on the supports,respectively, away from the pivotal connection of the support, for thepurpose specified, said means consisting of an endless belt disposedabove and in operative proximity-to said series of supports, and meansfor drivingboth endless belts substantially at equal speeds.

21. In a sorting machine, the combination With a frame,drivingmechanism, and an endless belt carrying a series of normallyhorizontal counterweighted supports, one for each individual articletobe sorted, of means for gradually Imoving said articles on thesupports away from the pivotal connection of the support, said meansconsisting of anendless belt disposed above and in operative proximityto said series of supports, and stretcher frames for the guidance of thelast named belt With reference to said series of supports. g

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

TIMQTHY NEVVELL WVitnesses KfW. SINCLAIR, B. M. WITTENBERG.

